Epilogue
Cricket smiled at Danica as she slipped into the room before nodding respectfully to the High Wizard sitting with his legs spread wide on the workbench. When Danica had invited her to her mechanic shop, Cricket had immediately accepted. After all, she owed her win in part to Danica’s help and to her amazing mechanic skills. She couldn’t deny that she was excited to call Danica a friend either. For the first time in her life, Cricket had not only one friend, but a whole handful of them that she could trust completely. It was refreshing to see how much her life had changed.
“How does it feel?” Danica asked as she walked in, her bright smile infectious. “Being free?”
Cricket grinned. “Like everything I’ve ever lost come back to me.”
Danica nodded in understanding and glanced at Theo. “Which is probably why this is as good a time as any to ask you to join our cause.”
Snorting, Cricket picked up a wrench on the table beside her and twisted it in her fingers. “You should already know I was a part of the cause since the moment you first came to talk to me at the ball. But,” Cricket pointed the wrench at her, “what exactly is the cause?”
“We bring down the Games,” Theo answered, his voice like honey in a way Cricket never expected. “And we take out those who have their tendrils within the Council.”
Cricket nodded. “And who is controlling the majority of the Council?”
Theo frowned and glanced at Danica. “We don’t know yet, but we will. For now, we gather our forces.”
“I’m guessing Mazu is a part of this cause, too?”
Danica grinned. “She is.”
Blowing out a puff of air, Cricket placed her hand on her hip. “Sounds dangerous and a bit like bringing down the patriarchy. I’m in.”
“Excellent,” Theo exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “When I find those responsible for all the corruption, I can promise you they’ll all fall down.” He stood and adjusted his suit. “Excellent racing, Lady Snapdragon.” He tipped his head to her, and she did the same in return. “Always a pleasure, Danica,” he purred, and then the High Wizard of the North disappeared in a literal puff of smoke.
“Such a dramatic wizard,” Danica chuckled. “Thank you for travelling out here. If you’d like to stay, I can make arrangements?”
“No thank you,” Cricket declined. “I have one anxious wolf waiting for me at home.”
Danica smiled brightly. “Then I’ll see you around, Cricket. Enjoy your freedom and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Bowing to the human woman who somehow had sunk her claws in their world, Cricket righted herself before pulling her into a hug. Danica froze for a moment before returning the embrace tightly.
“Thank you,” Cricket whispered. “For everything.”
“I did nothing but believe in you. You did the rest.” Danica released her and Cricket stepped back. “Us badasses gotta stick together.”
“Indeed we do.” Cricket turned to leave but her eyes caught on a car covered by a tarp in the garage. The edges of green poked out and she tipped her head at it, sensing something about the car that she couldn’t quite place. “What’s that car?”
Danica’s eyes fell on the car, and she walked over toward it. “Just a side project,” she said dismissively, but she still smiled at Cricket as she tugged the tarp down to hide the green. “I’ll see you next week, Cricket.”
With a final nod, Cricket flared her wings wide and lifted into the air before facing the direction for Chesapeake and the werewolf who waited for her.
Change was on the horizon, but Cricket wasn’t scared of it. After all, her life had changed drastically in the last few months, and it was all for the better. When the world decided to explode with change and the war against good and evil came to be, Cricket would stand with those who fought beside her. No one could put her behind bars. No one would ever clip her wings again.
Wild things weren’t meant to be kept in cages. They were meant to soar the skies.
And so, Cricket Snapdragon spread her wings wide and disappeared into the horizon.